Robert Barnard – Carol's Notebook

Author: Robert Barnard

Robert Barnard (23 November 1936 – 19 September 2013) was an English crime writer, critic, and lecturer.

Born in Essex, Barnard was educated at the Royal Grammar School in Colchester and at Balliol College in Oxford. His first crime novel, A Little Local Murder, was published in 1976. The novel was written while he was a lecturer at University of Tromsø in Norway. He has gone on to write more than 40 other books and numerous short stories.

Barnard was awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger in 2003 by the Crime Writers Association for a lifetime of achievement.

Barnard lived with his wife Louise in Yorkshire.

I picked A Scandal in Belgravia up at a library book sale. I had never heard of Barnard before, but the title grabbed my eye because of the Sherlock episode. After i read the blurb on the back it sounded like one I'd enjoy and I think it was like 50¢. I have to say I'm really pleased I picked it up. Peter Proctor, a former politician, is writing his memoirs. Or at least trying to. But his mind keeps going back to the murder of his friend, Timothy Wycliffe, some 30 years ago. I liked the pace of this mystery. It's an old murder. The police think they knew who did it and the killer is safely out of the country. There's no rush; no one's in danger; there's nothing to be gained by solving the case aside for peace of mind - and maybe a book that will sell better than his memoirs. Peter can go around talking to people,...